The Demon Shop
by gummybear0261
Summary: He's waiting, always waiting. Sitting in his shop so patiently, spinning his web, waiting for his prey to come. And they never disappoint. Humans are so greedy; they never heed his advice. He ruins lives, laughing, thinking: Be careful what you wish for.
1. Wish One

**A/N: **Yes, I have started a new project! It's about Sasuke, chiefly, if you haven't already guessed. Um, it's going to be a dark fic, at the very least, so if you came here looking for fluff, I'm sorry...

Some warnings for the first chapter: It contains about one line of SasuSaku. ONE LINE. (I don't count Sakura ogling- er, admiring, Sasuke as SasuSaku, because anyone can do that.) There won't be any more SasuSaku in the rest of this fic, because...well, you'll see at the end. There is character death as well! I don't think it's particularly sad character death, but it's important to the story. Know that if you continue reading, most of these wishes will not have happy endings, because this is a moral-based story.

If you still want to read, please continue :)

**Beta: **Oblivion's Demon, who also made that wonderful summary.

* * *

Wish One

* * *

A woman paused uncertainly in the middle of the busy road.

Her sudden halt in movement did nothing to slow the hectic flow of people around her; instead of tripping or stumbling around her, they simply moved their paths a little and continued on with their life. They flowed around her like a river, and she was just another irrelevant, useless pebble in their course. It was that easy, ignoring someone. It was that effortless.

And she absolutely hated it.

She hated being oblivious. She hated being nothing. She hated feeling like she was insignificant in the world—that no one acknowledged her—that she was nobody. She hated herself.

That was the reason why she was going to see the 'demon', the rumored granter of wishes, the whispered devil. She wanted to be someone.

Haruno Sakura didn't want to be nonexistent anymore.

* * *

"It should be around here," she whispered to herself, anxiously checking the crumpled piece of paper in her hand. Words were scrawled across the whiteness messily, staining it with sin and darkness. She shuddered as she remembered the toothless, grinning, wrinkled old man who had stopped her one day as she was walking home from work, his hand gnarled but surprisingly strong. His words had been raspy and hoarse.

'_You look like someone who should live more… You look tired, dear. Exhausted of our world. You have a wish; I'm sure, your kind always does. Why don't you try this shop?_

'_The demon who lives in it will grant your infinite desire…'_

He had slipped the paper into her hand and vanished back into the shadows. When she had stopped to look back for him, the old man was gone.

Or maybe he had just never been there in the first place.

Sakura laughed softly. _No, I must be losing my mind. _She glanced down at the paper in her hand one more time before marching sharply into the alley, grimacing at the stench that instantly assaulted her nose. It was worse than urine, worse than garbage. Plain disgusting. Gagging lightly, she shook her head and waited for her eyes to adjust to the relative darkness. Once they had, though, she instantly wished they hadn't. The alley itself was just as disgusting as the smell, strewn with trash and filth like the polluted river Styx—and like that river, it reeked darkness and malice from every inch of its brick exterior.

Her weary green eyes focused blearily on the single blemished, wooden door set at the very end of the alley. It was like the path to hell; one must tread carefully if you even wanted to reach your destination. Although it didn't matter much in the end, because as soon as you stepped onto this dark path, you were trapped for eternity.

_Are you willing to give your soul to be recognized?_

At last, she reached the door _(the gates to hell)_. It was even more imposing up close, looming over her like a fallen angel's shadow. There was a solitary gold knocker set in the middle of the rough wood, strangely out of place for something in the twenty-first century. It gleamed oddly brightly in the evening light; it tempted her. Vaguely, the image of an angel screaming in anguish, carved elegantly in the murky gloom, floated before her eyes. Strange, yet beautiful. Terrifying, yet enchanting. Heaven, yet Hell.

Sakura answered the call. At one feather-light touch, the door creaked and groaned, making such a racket she automatically glanced behind her to see if anyone had heard. But no, she was still lost in the shadows, the _(light) _end of the alley far away from her reach. Shadows, people, passed by the opening, unmindful of the conflicted young woman hiding just outside of their reach. She had passed beyond normal humans; she would soon be tied to earth by different things. A different wish, something granted by the devil.

A dank breeze brushed past her pale cheeks, causing her to turn back to the now-open doorway. It was forebodingly black, impenetrable, until a single torch _whooshed _into existence. Then as if answering an unheard summon, the rest of the torches lit all at once, red flames flickering against the gray walls. It lit a passage so long that the end was out of sight.

Sakura glanced back one last time, somehow understanding that when she stepped over the threshold into the hallway, she would be lost to humanity. Something within her would be gone, and she would be marked as different. She would be unable to return to the boring old Sakura she was before.

The thought of that thrilled her.

And so she stepped into the hallway, into her new life.

Somewhere deep inside the winding corridors, he smiled.

_Another fly is caught in my trap._

* * *

Sakura wasn't stupid.

Despite all things, she wasn't dumb. Even if this led her to a new life, she didn't want to die doing it—and to top it off, she was wandering directly in unfamiliar territory _(enemy territory). _Who knew what would happen.

Because of that, she kept a torch in her right hand and her left hand on the cool stone of the wall. Her footsteps echoed a little eerily on the floor. _Click. Click. Click. _The crackle of flames accompanied her footsteps like a harmony. If she ever got lost, all she would need to do was turn around and follow the right walls until she returned to where she began. _(click) _It was that simple. After all, this wasn't some horror or supernatural movie. _(click crackle) _This was real life. The hallways didn't _change _to some unknown force's whim. _(click crackle)_

A voice nestled inside her whispered tauntingly: _Are you so sure, Sakura?_ (clickclick)_ You can feel it in your heart, in your bones. _(crackle) _Something isn't right about this place _(cracklecrackleclick) …_ something isn't _human.

"Shut up," she muttered, hand clenching around the torch.

Twenty-three footsteps later _(twenty-three clickclickclicks)_ something new joined the song. She began hearing melodic drips, hollow notes that plucked against her ear. It went like this—_click _crackle _drip _click _crackle _drip until it all blurred into one long, continuous noise. Or maybe that was just the sudden roaring that had replaced her hearing; not the roar of a wildcat, but the roar of a never-ending wind. Her eyes still stared blankly ahead of her, something foreign propelling her forward. She had to see what was around this last turn…around this last bend, all would be revealed.

The roaring wind picked up in intensity, howling and actually becoming tangible. The torches blew out all at once, just as she turned around the corner, hair whipping wildly around her face. Sakura's hand dropped from the wall.

It was utterly dark.

And yet, she felt no fear—until the voice spoke.

"Are you my new prey?"

Instantly, ice shot down her spine, stiffening her into a statue. The darkness became oppressing, weighing down on her like a blanket of steel. It was smothering her! Panic filled her chest, heartbeat quickening.

"Are you scared? Don't be scared. I promise I won't hurt you…" The voice was definitely coming closer, and yet Sakura couldn't move an inch. The darkness had become manacles.

She stifled a shriek when something touched her shoulder, gently, fear overriding every other instinct in her brain. "Poor thing. You're still scared. I see what your problem is now; you simply dislike the dark." There was a snapping noise and then immediately, the room lightened. Unconsciously, the weight slipped from her shoulders and once again Sakura could breathe. Sweat cooled on her brow as she took in the sight in front of her.

_Beautiful _was the first thing she registered. Deadly was the next.

It wasn't just the room—although that too deserved its fair share of respect. Red and black draped every inch of the void, domed space, painting itself in abstract streaks across the top of the ceiling and dragging down the walls to puddle on the ground. Fan symbols were everywhere, red and white (the only other color in the room), on the floor in rugs and on the walls in paintings. Then, besides all that, there was the main feature: the giant couch resting in the middle of the room, eating up all the attention. Well, no, that wasn't entirely correct: it was what was _on _that couch that was pulling her attention away from everything else.

He was unworldly. Unearthly. She had never seen beauty like his _(he wouldn't have been ignored, not like she was) _before in her life. Comparisons desperately raced through her mind, discarding them when she realized none of them fit his description. He had skin _paler_ than the moon, more _luminous_ than an angel, eyes _darker_ than ebony and hair _deeper_ than midnight. His features were like sin itself.

_Temptation personified._

"Welcome to my shop, Haruno Sakura. How may I be of your assistance?"

She even drowned in his voice. It folded around her, caressing her. Choking her.

_This is truly a demon—or a fallen angel. Either way, there's no one who could compare to this man. This being._

"I—I—want—" To her utter mortification, her throat closed up, words squeezing tight and dying before they ever reached the man's ears. A blush worked its way up to her cheeks while her mouth worked furiously to say something—anything! If this man shunned her like everyone else had, ignored her… She would die.

"You want a wish. You always do." The man's eyes lowered, sooty lashes folding over the piercing black like the hooded gaze of a cobra. Unseen to her, a sneer rose to his lips, cruel and menacing. "And I am happy to grant what you want."

_For a price, of course._

Without his eyes on her, rationality began returning. Sakura's brows furrowed as she realized they were the only two people in the room _(although was he human, of that she wasn't sure) _and therefore, the one who had touched her shoulder earlier—with that cold, chilly hand—must be this man. So how did he get back to the couch so fast? And how did he know her name?

Then his eyes met hers again, and everything vanished from her mind like fog on a sunny day.

"Why don't you come here, Sakura?" he asked smoothly, captivating her. Nodding, she moved over to him and kneeled; that particular motion came naturally to her. Instincts told her it was something she was supposed to do in front of this man, because he was like a god with his presence.

"Introductions are in order, I suppose. I am Sasuke. And you are Sakura." He smirked at her then, causing her heart to skip a beat. His eyes remained passionless. "This is your first time visiting. I remember everyone, you know." His head tilted slightly to the side and his finger tapped his forehead knowingly, all the while maintaining that heady eye contact. "That being so, would you like to hear the description of this shop or would you like me to grant your wish?"

_Anything to hear your voice more._

"I see, then I suppose I better describe my shop, shouldn't I." Something like amusement flickered across his face, breaking the earth-shattering spell a little. A tiny part of Sakura was rebelling against his charm: _it isn't natural to answer like that… We didn't say anything. He could only do that if he could read our thoughts—and that's not possible. He would have to be inhuman. And to top it off, his emotions aren't even real. You can see it. They're like _plastic_, masks he is forced to don for the sake of humanity._

"You're quite interesting." She jolted as she realized his eyes had changed color, becoming a brilliant shade of scarlet for a millisecond before flashing back to black. Or was that all her imagination just then? "But we can get to that part later. One of my messengers told you about my shop, didn't they?"

She nodded mutely.

"They're rather useful. They send people here, people like you, who have wishes they want to be granted. People who are lonely and desperate." Sakura frowned slightly. The thought of that didn't sit well with her—the fact that there might have been more girls before her and the fact that he had just called her desperate. "Of course, none of them compare to your beauty." His hand touched her cheek; she flinched slightly at the iciness in his fingertips despite being warmed by his compliment. No human should be that cold without being rightfully renamed as a corpse.

Sasuke drew back, noting her flinch, before crossing his arms. "I fulfill those wishes. That is my purpose, just as seeking wishes is yours—without humans, what would I do to fill my spare time?" Sakura had no answer. "That is what this shop does. It is only visible to those who seek my aid, and those who are prepared to give anything for their one wish. I can accomplish whatever you wish: revenge, true love, political ambition, death, loneliness, or even acknowledgment." She jerked as he said the last phrase, feeling something deep within her ring in exuberance. Finally, finally, she wouldn't be so _alone _anymore…

Sasuke was still speaking. "At the same time, don't lose yourself to the darkness of human greed." His eyes gleamed, cat-like, in the sultry dimness of the room. A torch crackled near them, spraying red sparks across the blackness of the couch. "I give my three obligatory warnings, although few remember to heed them. Will you listen, I wonder? First, remember, what you wish for cannot be reversed. No matter how much you plead, even I cannot change the flow of time. Second, make your decision wisely, for you only get one choice. Think, is it what you really want? And third, you must accept your fate for making a deal with the devil. There is no heaven; only eternal hell."

This time, she caught his eyes glowing red. They spun, hypnotizing her, blinding her to his warnings and numbing her to her surroundings. Sakura no longer felt the coldness of the floor beneath her, nor did she mind the pins and needles crawling their way up her calves. Her world had been changed into one of a demon's, and she was glad to believe it.

"I…I accept that. And my wish—"

She was cut off by Sasuke, who leaned forward until there were only mere centimeters between them. Sakura was acutely aware of the fact that his eyes were still crimson, patterned strangely with black _(they say that the brightly colored snakes are the most dangerous ones…but I think I've found myself a more venomous creature to play with)._

"I told you before, didn't I? Your fear is one simply born of darkness." He studied the confusion on her face; she was so easy to read, her every emotion etched into those green orbs she called eyes, allowing him to play her according to what he saw. It was so effortless it would almost be a pity to corrupt her. But then again, the pure ones _were _the fun ones… "You are afraid of the dark because you have lived in it for so long. Not literally, of course not"—_only I can live in the darkness and stay sane—_"but in society. You haven't blossomed yet. You're merely waiting in the shadows, and you want to step out; but you don't know how."

"That's what I feel!" Sakura gasped, eyes wide. How could he understand her so perfectly? It was like fate…

"Please don't say that," Sasuke muttered with the faintest grimace. "I control fate here, not the other way around."

"E-excuse—"

"Never mind." He cut her off brusquely by licking his lips, attracting her attention to the small sliver of tongue that peeked out from behind his pale mouth. "The question is, would you like your wish to be granted?"

Sakura hesitated _(smart one) _for a split second before hastily nodding her head, as if answering too late would make all this disappear. It still felt like a dream to her, like this was some not-horrifying nightmare. One pinch, and everything she had just imagined would be gone.

Sasuke cupped her chin, the look in his eyes unexpectedly chilling. It was like he was measuring her worth with those eyes, like she was trash—and for the first time since she'd laid eyes on this enrapturing creature, something rational began building in intensity inside her. It was her most primal instincts reacting to this call, this predator, who wanted to devour her _(and most definitely not in the good way). _Her eyes squeezed shut and she shivered when he spoke.

"Very well then. If that is all, you may be released. I hope you appreciate what you wished for, Haruno Sakura… You will be acknowledged soon." His words faded the longer they played, until the stone beneath her changed abruptly to the roughness of concrete and the iciness of his hand wisped away on an invisible wind. She hesitatingly opened her eyes to be greeted with the outside world, harsh and unrelenting.

Somehow, it didn't seem so bad anymore.

She thought that, even while standing shakily and faintly recalling Sasuke's _(did he really exist, such a divine being) _last words.

'_Though… you may not like the way you receive your acknowledgment.'_

A laugh escaped her throat, oddly happy and bubbly. Ha! The chains of normality, of dullness, had fallen off her at last. She was ready to emerge from her cocoon of lifelessness as a butterfly in the new world, embrace those who were ready to worship her—she would be an idol! Sakura could imagine her new life already, a life of fashion and prestige and utter happiness. She wasn't nobody anymore.

Sasuke's words of warning completely escaped her mind as she stepped out into the light of her new world. Sure, she would be grateful to him (she would probably even thank him when she was famous by expanding his shop somewhere bigger and less confusing) for giving her fame, but in the end, he was just another tool—

"There! There she is!"

Twin sirens blared into the night air as half a dozen police cars swerved onto her street. She watched in dazed confusion as they screeched to a stop in front of her, pedestrians shying away like she had some contagious disease. Police swarmed out from the cars like ants, rushing toward her. Instinctively, she backed toward the alley, seeking shelter.

_What—is going on? Where's my fame? Is this…?_

"Haruno Sakura, you are under arrest for the murder of…" The policeman's voice was drowned out in the night and the sirens and the screaming, the roaring of a phantom wind blowing in her ears. Sakura was barely aware of cold handcuffs clipping themselves around her wrists, clamping too tightly for comfort. She was hardly conscious when the police led her gently toward the cars _(mentally unstable, this one) _and she watched in bemusement as she was folded in the backseat of a patrol car.

It was only when the door closed with a final, ominous click that she finally realized what was going on, and in desperation, she looked frantically over to the alleyway, eyes straining to make out the door she had passed through—what, minutes ago? Hours?

The door was gone.

Or maybe it was just indiscernible in the darkness. It was funny how it was only when she had gotten out of the comforting darkness and into the blaring brightness, starkness, of the light—that she understood just how much she had favored the dark.

_You may not like the way you receive your acknowledgment… give your soul to be recognized… my prey? They send people here…lonely and desperate… _

Sasuke's sinful voice spread like a poison through her mind, and her eyes blanked out as the policeman settled in the front seat. The roaring wind dulled to a monotonous buzz in her ears, and the last thing she saw before the night vanished in a blur of black and streaked silver was a pair of glittering, dangerous red eyes smiling capriciously at her from the dimness of the alley.

_You didn't listen…_

_I told you to make your decision wisely, didn't I? _

_You didn't listen._

_Humans never do._

* * *

One day, far in the future, an old customer returned.

It wasn't a rare sight, not at all—they only got one wish, but that didn't mean they were forbidden from returning. When their misery grew great enough, the door became visible again, and they were allowed to come back one last time.

One last time to plead for death.

"Welcome, Haruno Sakura."

The name was the same, but the person herself had changed drastically. Even when she had been 'a bud', she had retained some of that same light all humans had. Her eyes had glowed, her skin shining with a human's vitality. He was jealous of that vitality, the light that he could never reach or obtain. He was a 'demon', and therefore, he was unable to attain the brilliance humanity had.

_(it was because they had such short lives that their spark was so bright)_

This person before him now was shriveled. Not physically; mentally. She was a mere shell of who she had been before. He could sense it in her thoughts—they were disjointed and confused, blank. A doll. Time in prison had taken its toll on her, just as being falsely accused for murder had. He had lied before—it really wasn't in his power to control fate, but he did twist the strings a little. He tweaked them here or there so they interceded with his client's, and that was all. Sasuke would never be so impudent as to say he forced fate to hand out cruel and unusual punishments. When humans didn't make it clear what they wanted…

Well, they simply brought it upon themselves.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do this to—me?" Her words were dry and cracked, passing through lifeless lips. Shadows hung deeply under her eyes.

_This doll is already broken._

_She's useless._

"Now, I wouldn't do something like that, Sakura. Look at me," he purred, black morphing to red. His eyes gleamed. "Would I do something like that?"

She hesitated, still under his spell even though years had passed. "N—no—yes—I don't know anymore! What did you do? I wanted acknowledgment, not—"

"You didn't listen," he said softly in a sing-song voice. "I told you the rules, I told you what to do. You just didn't listen. You wanted to be acknowledged, did you not? I gave you acknowledgment; now the world sees you as a merciless killer who murdered three children and their pregnant mother even while the real murderer still lies out there somewhere, free. How does that make you feel?"

"You—!" Sakura's eyes grew wide in anger, the first spark of light returning to them only to jolt back in astonishment as Sasuke appeared in a flash in front of her. His face was emotionless.

"I have fulfilled your wish, and now, you will pay the price." His fingers worked with a cruel gentleness up to her neck, trailing over her cheeks briefly before wrapping tightly around her throat. Her heartbeat thudded erratically beneath his fingers, warm and tempting. Even he, a demon by all rights, wasn't immune to such delicacies.

_Death._

"Oh dear, did you think you would get away without paying for anything? That's not how the world is, I'm afraid." His fingers tightened slightly, digging into her soft skin. They must have treated her fairly well in prison…although it did nothing for her shattered mind.

"Why?" she choked out one last time as his fingers tightened some more.

"Why do I do all this? I guess it can't hurt to tell you." For the first time, Sakura saw the sneer that graced his lips like a second skin. As near death as she was, fear still raced through her like electricity. "I don't want death, exactly. I don't need the power of knowing I can kill someone, nor do I require the knowledge that I can bend fate. I am merely someone in-between who likes playing with humans. I like your frivolous lives, so carefree and utterly curious. It's interesting to someone like me."

"Is…that all … this is … to you…?"

"I suppose it is." Sasuke saw the hope finally die from her eyes, as something in her gave up its struggle. This was where the deal became a little dull; when the human gave up altogether, the game was over. And Sasuke didn't like games ending.

Because of that, he was a little startled when a soft voice breathed out, "Then…show me a little kindness…and give me one last wish…won't you?"

His eyes flickered up to her face, red analyzing green. No, it wasn't some random trick—she really was begging him, even though she was on the very edge of death. Sasuke had thought she had given up, but no. He had been wrong this one time, and that pleased him enough to answer her unspoken request.

"Very well."

Her mouth was soft against his, her last breath quiet as she breathed out against his lips. Then all was silent once more, another promise fulfilled, another deal done, another game ended.

Sasuke sat on his couch, arms draped languidly over the side. "She was an interesting customer," he murmured, closing his eyes. "Fighting spirit till the end, indeed, though she did make me talk a lot." He sat, lost in his thoughts for a little more, until something thrummed on the edges of his consciousness, alerting him of a new human. A new prey.

Well, it was to be expected someone would come so soon. His work was an everlasting one, after all.

His eyes opened slowly just as the torches in the room were extinguished in a giant gust of wind. The only source of illumination came from his eyes, radiantly bright in the stark blackness. When he spoke, his voice was velvet over ice.

"Welcome… to the Demon Shop."

* * *

**A/N: **Did you like it? I don't know if I should continue it. Based on the responses I get, I guess I'll either leave it as a oneshot or continue.

On that note, please review! I want to know what everyone thinks of it, or if I should continue!


	2. Wish Two

**A/N:** Sorry, sorry, I know I should've updated three weeks ago, but the process of writing and beta'ing can be really long :)

So, anyway. This time, the wish is about - well, you'll see. No pairings. It's set in the past, compared to the last chapter, Wish One, so don't get confused. Annnd now, I'll talk more at the bottom and explain some things. Please enjoy!

**Beta: **Oblivion's Demon (who took forever getting this back to me, but I love you anyway)

* * *

Wish Two

* * *

_~700 years ago~_

* * *

The wind howled outside the quaint-looking temple, scattering cherry blossoms in their wake. A spring storm was rapidly approaching, complete with rolling black thunderclouds and the arbitrary lightning bolt piercing the air. A single figure hurried along the winding path that led to the shrine, occasionally glancing back in a paranoid fashion before continuing along the road.

Sasuke's eyes opened softly as he felt the human draw near to his shop. It had been a while since he had had his last customer—but how long exactly, he couldn't recall (_never-ending life as a demon took its toll; there were those days when he longed for death, anything to put him out of suffering another daymonthlife_)_—_and needless to say, this particular area in the eastern edge of the world didn't guarantee him much business. Perhaps it would be time soon to pack up and relocate somewhere new…

Then the human entered his shop and instantly, those thoughts vanished from his mind. This human he did something he had never seen before—he pulled the strings of fate _toward_ him, almost cocooning him; maybe staying a little longer here wouldn't be such a bad thing. This human promised entertainment.

A smirk curved his lips.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji was a man of no importance.

Sad as it was, it was also true. The Hyuuga name was prominent and well known across the country; his uncle had built a fortune out of it. Everywhere they went, heads bowed and people backed reverently out of the street. It wasn't that his family dealt in the mafia or black market or anything like that—it was simply the fact that they were the closest things the people in the area could call 'celebrities'. Because people liked having a name to associate themselves with, naturally, Hyuugas were the perfect idols.

That was the root cause of Hyuuga Neji's problems on this particular day. Since Hyuugas were often considered 'perfect' and 'flawless', many targeted the two sole heirs of the Hyuuga fortune: Hinata and Hanabi.

Neji wasn't so worried about Hanabi, as she had trained herself in many defensive techniques. But Hinata—his quiet, soft-spoken cousin—he worried about her. There were many ugly people out there in the world who sought to take advantage of girls like her, and as a member of the branch family, he was destined to a life of protection.

It was because of her he was approaching the devil.

The temple before him appeared strangely pristine, even as the wind whipped up around him and the sky stormed a cloudy gray. If the rumors were true—and ample rumors they were—this shrine should have been around for more than a century; and yet it looked not over a day old.

However, the feeling, the aura, it gave off… That was a completely different story. The pillars were black, the marble of which it was built was black, and the only thing colorful about it was the pair of golden, heavy-looking handles on the carved, cold door. Neji approached it hesitantly, reaching out a hand to brush along the sides of the shrine before pausing at the door. It gave off a feeling of sullied malice and tainted evil, oozing from the very cracks in the door to surround him. The air seemed cloying to his senses and muddled his thoughts, drugging him with its promise of evil.

He took a deep breath, steeling his core and reminding himself just who he was sacrificing his humanity for (_it was his duty, his eternal duty_)_. _Hinata deserved to be free from the shackles of that _man_, that horrible man who insisted on pursuing his innocent cousin relentlessly.

Picturing his sweet cousin's face in his mind, he pushed open the doors, a gust of chilly air wrapping around him from inside the temple. The doors opened easily, smoothly, silently, and the inside of the shrine was surprisingly large and empty, like a cavern. It was dark, and the meager rectangle of light the doorway let through didn't reach far enough to see anything or anyone residing in the shrine. Was it empty, then? He was about to give up (_chicken! And you say you want to protect Hinata?_)when a low voice crawled from the depths (_of Hell_)of the shrine.

"Welcome, please, do not leave so soon," it said, and as if on cue, a spotlight shone down in the direct center of the temple. Neji stepped forward instinctively, curiosity peaked. He barely flinched when the heavy marble doors swung shut behind him, making a dusty sounding _boom. _The air was even colder in the actual temple, causing goose bumps rise along his arms, prickling with an innate sixth sense of danger.

His pale eyes swept along the insides of the temple; it was starting to appear more and more like a cage and less like a place where dreams come alive. Then again—did he expect a demon's home to be welcoming, to be like heaven? Heaven was white, gold, pure, and this place was smothered in its darkness. Evil lurked in every corner, every shadow, every crevice. Yet, Neji wasn't scared, because there was something about this shrine that was familiar to him.

_The greed._

"Why don't you come closer?" the voice murmured sinuously, redirecting Neji's attention once more to the center of the shrine. It wasn't really a spotlight, he discovered; it was more like moonlight. White streams of light that, oddly, belonged in such a dark place – if only because the moonbeams were cold and uncaring, harsh in its brilliant intensity. They danced and flickered as if underwater, playing across the demon's aristocratic features and the low, hard-backed sofa. Absent-mindedly, Neji observed that it was made of finely woven silk, forming elaborate patterns of white and red. Other than that, there was no furniture whatsoever decorating the bare space. Not even an altar, which made him slightly relieved. There were no bloodthirsty killings going on here, then.

No, not killing—just something of a more deadly trade.

Neji took another step forward, only to halt in confusion as he realized he was already in front of the demon. How had he reached the other side of the temple in a second, without the memory of it? Though, he supposed it made sense: in this temple, time was putty in the hands of its master, stretching and shrinking to his will. It was…detached, in a way, from the outside world. There was no noise, no wind, no storm. It was strangely peaceful.

"Tell me, what's a perfect Hyuuga doing in my dirty, filthy shop?" The demon's eyes were unreadable; Neji didn't know if the question was sarcastic or not, and so he chose not to answer. His reward was a faint smirk before the demon waved his pale hand and something bumped the back of Neji's knees. "Sit, sit. We have as long as we want, after all."

The chair, mysteriously summoned, matched the hard-backed sofa the demon was lounging upon. Neji sat, refusing to question the situation (_because if he did, he would comprehend just what he was getting himself into_).

"Why don't we begin by introducing you?" The demon leaned forward, loose black garments rustling as he moved. He folded his hands under his chin in a bizarrely human gesture.

"I am not perfect," Neji said abruptly, gripping the armrests on his chair. _I'm not. Never call me that. I can't be perfect—I don't deserve to be perfect—when my thoughts are this tainted._

"No, you are not, but your family name certainly is. And is that not the root of your problem?"

Something stirred within him at the demon's smooth words (_slithering lies_)_. _It scared him, the feeling rising within Neji, and panic engulfed his mind. The demon frowned slightly.

"I see. That is our issue, then, is it?"

"That is not the root of my problem!" Neji blurted out, chest heaving as if he'd just sprinted from the village to the temple. Why the panic still ate away at him, he could not explain, but it prevented him from facing the truth (_and of that he was eternally grateful for_)_. _"I am here for someone else," he said firmly, regaining some of his normal icy composure. "My cousin."

"The famed Hyuuga Hinata, am I correct?" the demon asked. Neji felt his eyes narrow in suspicion. "No need to look so dangerous, my dear customer. She is quite the beauty, or so I have heard. Even I, some poor keeper of a rundown shop, get a little news now and then. So tell me, are you going to play the stoic knight in white armor and rescue her from her little stalker?"

The hairs on Neji's nape stood straight up. This was abnormal, strange, _creepy_; how could someone, something, he had never met before know so much about him?

"It is because I am Uchiha Sasuke, and it is my job to know everything about you, Hyuuga Neji," the demon said silkily, eyes flashing red. "When I said _we_ should introduce _you_, I meant that literally. Who are you, in reality? What is hiding beneath that cool composure? Hatred for your branch family status, loyalty for your demure cousin, sorrow for your deceased father—killed when you were just a child?"

He stood, drifting around until he stood directly behind Neji. "You present a proud image to the world; you merely add to the fantasies of the Hyuuga name, making it harder for people to discern between the lies and the truth. You speak brave words, saying you want to come for the sake of Hinata, but I know it is all _a lie._" The last words were hissed out, and Sasuke trailed back around to face Neji. His eyes looked demonic. "Tell me the truth! Use your eyes. You can see what fate has bestowed on you, so use your gift. Tell me what you _really _desire; otherwise, I cannot help you."

The intense feeling welled up inside Neji again, fluttering in his chest like a wild bird that has been caged for too long. He jolted back into the hard embrace of the chair; the former panic was miniscule in comparison to the longing, pure longing flowing through him. It was as though this demon had incited something sleeping within him, something he had thought long buried.

It had only ever been a dream, a passing fancy of his younger teenage years. _It had been nothing…_

"Dreams are never nothing," Sasuke said coldly, his shadow spreading and formidable in the harsh moonlight. It was burning him, the moon. Neji welcomed with relief the sliver of cloud that passed over the hole carved in the ceiling, blocking out some of the silver, beautiful, fiery light. The room dimmed to a smoky gray. "Never say that again. You do not know how it feels to be dreamless, to have no sleep, eternal boredom as I have suffered, eternal desolation. You do not know how it feels to have no nightmares, no goals, nothing but endless time stretched before you like a bleak canvas of black. Never speak like that again unless you have suffered my _pain_."

"Is that why you do this?" Neji asked, somehow finding the strength to battle aside the feeling still bursting in his chest. His eyes focused on the demon's, somehow unsurprised to note their new crimson shade.

"Why I grant wishes? You think I want to hand out retribution? That is why you think I do this?" Sasuke gave a sharp laugh as the moon broke through the clouds once more. "No! I do this because I am _forced _to. I cannot abandon my post, left to me by my cursed older brother; I can never leave. And finally, after decades of confusion, I finally figured out the key to all the madness: if I am to be stuck as the devil for all of time, why not make the humans suffer as I do? It seems like a small price to pay, for those like you, desperate enough for any cure."

Neji was sure the demon had finally gone insane.

"Insane I am not." Sasuke sat on his couch in one graceful motion, face utterly emotionless and composed. "However, we are here to suffer your fate, your past. You are a Hyuuga, and as I have said before, use your eyes. It is ironic indeed, the destiny that has brought you here. I change fate to my whim, while you, the Hyuuga family, are made for believing in the very threads that I find my existence, my purpose, in changing."

"I do not know what you mean," Neji said slowly, shaking his head. It was oddly comfortable to talk to this—'man', loosely termed. It felt almost like he was looking in a mirror of himself (_just like that dream_)and seeing someone that hated his future, his set path, but could do little to change it. Perhaps there were more similarities than he'd thought…

So why didn't that idea scare him at all?

A spine-chilling look lit Sasuke's face; not really terrifying, but _malicious, _like the tiger who has spotted his prey. "You really do not know. What else have they been keeping from you, Hyuuga?"

Despite his best efforts, curiosity reared its head. Neji narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? Secrets?"

"Finally, we are getting somewhere," the demon muttered under his breath. He raised his head again, locking eyes with Neji. There was something indescribably predatory in his gaze, yet calculating, as though it was simply a contract he wished to be signed and done with while still managing to get the best deal out of it. "Precisely, actually. Why not make this a contract? It will be so much smoother. You see, contracts are mutual agreements between two sides; in this case, it will be you, the holder of the wish, and me, the contractor. You determine your wish, I determine my price; anything you wish to know will add or subtract from your final price." It all sounded so strangely business-like that Neji had to laugh.

Contracts? Prices? Of course, he'd known there was going to be a price for his wish, but this was a little much. It was just a wish, Sasuke was just a demon, and in the end Neji would have done something for the greater good and would have gone off with a heavier soul but a lighter burden on his shoulders. Never mind the secrets, as enticing as it was…

"Do not deny yourself," Sasuke said abruptly. "I know you want to know more. I can still sense it inside you, the longing to be free." _There was that word again—free. _It sent shudders through Neji's body. "Why not just put you out of your misery? You know you are hiding your own selfish intentions, so give up Hinata and face what you truly want. Humans are selfish. That will never change, no matter how much time wears away humanity's other, nicer traits."

The lies Sasuke spun wove tighter and tighter around Neji, trapping them in their endless allure. He could feel their icy edges wrapping around him, whispering in his ear, deafening him to his original loyalty and numbing him beyond his 'family's' reach. Really, what was the Hyuuga, but a name? Most of them—spare Hinata, perhaps—had no affiliation with the branch families. They _wanted _no affiliation with the dirty ones, the impure. They had never reached out to Neji, and in turn, Neji would shun them. The lies Sasuke told might be filthy, but when he opened his eyes—they were all he could see. Sasuke's lies, his truths, Neji's beginning: white shimmering wire-thin lines, extending from the dark recesses of the room to bind Neji in a new promise.

It was strangely peaceful, if that could be used to describe such a miraculous sight.

"What…is this?" he whispered, gazing around him in something akin to shock. The moonlight glinted off of the lines, as though they were mirrors reflecting light. It created an effect that shot tiny beams of light all around the room, until everything was washed in the same, ethereal, not-so-harsh-anymore moonlight.

"These are my lies, life's lies, woven together to create one massive truth," Sasuke murmured, raising his hand within a millimeter of a silver line. It hummed and vibrated as he drew closer, only to settle back down when he lowered his hand. His eyes were shrouded as the clouds drifted over the moon, shadows flickering across his face. "I am the keeper of these lies, which stays masqueraded under the alias of 'fate'. You are part of the Hyuuga, one of the few blessed families that are still allowed to see the lines of fate; however, changing them is forbidden to you. Your secret lies in your eyes—when you accept yourself and your destiny, you are allowed the gift of seeing them. Or, rather, the _curse_."

His tone was bitter with self-hatred, something Neji recognized intimately.

When he was young and still astringent over the murder of his father, he had entertained more than a few thoughts of breaking away from the Hyuuga clan, forever. And why shouldn't he? They had looked down on him for the being the child of a murder victim, and to top it off—a branch member. He couldn't have sunk any lower in their eyes. It was enough to induce dreams of sabotage, killing, running away. But one day, a miracle had happened. _Hinata _had happened.

Before then, he had heard of the heiress and her kindness, her gracefulness, all good things. It had made him—ashamedly—hate her, if only because she had everything and he had nothing.

He hadn't truly known Hinata, but after they met, his whole life had changed to revolve around her, to protect her. There was something so inherently good in her it was unbelievable, and Neji wanted to protect that goodness, because his own had been robbed when he was less than seven years old. It had quelled the vengeance inside him…but it hadn't put it fully to sleep. No, the beast was just waiting for its chance to strike again.

Neji welcomed it with wide arms.

Somehow, that protective viewpoint had been altered in a moment, and after knowing that his _family _had hid something so beautiful, so precious, from him... it tore at him. Why had they never told him about the power their eyes hid? Even if he could not change fate, it was enough just observing it. It was enough knowing it existed, that someone who could change it existed.

His 'set-in-stone' path wasn't so set in stone after all.

"Will you sign our contract, Hyuuga Neji? Make your wish carefully." Neji was in a daze as Sasuke repeated something about three rules and the sacrifices that would be made. It was only when the demon clapped his hands sharply that he woke from his stupor, the loud noise reverberating through his skull. "What is your final wish? Do you still want to protect that girl from her pursuer? Or will you give into your selfish desires?"

He sat up straight in his chair, eyes firm as they took in the wonder of glittering fate strung around him like baubles. "I wish to be free of this cursed family, forever!"

Deep red eyes faded to black, swirling in hypnotizing circles before slowly closing against the dark. "Your wish is now granted. Until we meet again…"

The rest of the room wavered like a mirage before disappearing completely, leaving Neji standing on a desolate hill alone, fate gone, his family gone, his purpose gone.

Yet, he felt so completely free.

The bird had finally flown out of its cage…

But would it like would it would find?

* * *

Sasuke finally allowed the viciousness he had been restraining to steal over his face, glee erupting inside him. Yes, that human had been so much more fun that he had thought. To think, of all people, he would have a Hyuuga come in! A Hyuuga! They were the very reason he had come to this eastern edge of the world, seeking revenge. He had almost given up on any of them coming in…when in waltzed Neji, so uncorrupted and naïve and _oblivious_ to his true heritage. Sasuke involuntarily licked his lips when he thought of the other consequences Neji's wish would bring to existence; mainly, what would happen to his dear little cousin, Hinata. She may have been spared from having to visit the darkness and torture of his shop if Neji had stayed true to his original cause, but humans were so easily strayed from their path by falsely glittering jewels. No, he never did get tired of playing with humans.

His chilly mask slipped back into place as he relaxed against his couch, frigid exterior intact. He had talked of _him _again, for the first time in a long while.

_Him, _Uchiha Itachi, his own older brother.

If there were any wishes Sasuke was allowed to make, he would have forced Itachi back so he could leave his throne as the keeper of the Demon Shop. After all—Itachi was the original king, the original contractor. And then he, _Sasuke_, had ruined it all; that was the part he hated the most.

The only way one could become the master of the shop was to voluntarily accept it, of one's own free will. It was not a burden that could be given by force. Likewise, it was the same for getting rid of it. Sasuke wasn't tired of his role quite yet, but he could sense the time coming soon. Perhaps that was why Itachi had handed the reins over to him and left the shop—never to return. The thought burned his mind and red rage flashed across his eyes before he calmed himself, pushing aside thoughts of his older brother in favor of his most recent customer.

Yes, he had sought revenge against the famous Hyuuga name. He had nothing personal against any of the members, not at all. It wasn't for that he sought vengeance, though, granted, his own reason was more than a little petty.

He wanted to destroy their clan because they had what he never could. They had a family, they had a life, they had a _future_ that was ripped from his hands the moment his parents were murdered and Itachi had disappeared. Then after that… Sasuke gritted his teeth, feeling fury shake his bones. After that, he had been trapped into the position of keeper and was doomed to stay forevermore in that dark, sinful shop until someone willing came along to free him.

At least with this, the name of Hyuuga would begin falling apart. Shadows were already being cast on its once-noble reputation. Finally, the Uchiha name could rest in peace, after their biggest rival was defeated; at least Sasuke could do one last thing for his family. Finally, he could destroy the clan that had claimed what should have been his…what should have been the Uchiha's.

Finally, vengeance had been served.

Now, all that was left was watching the ashes crumble.

* * *

"Get out! You're going to the asylum, boy." His uncle's voice wasn't angry. It wasn't snarling. It was just…cold. Cold and quiet and solemn, and that was what was the worst about the whole situation.

Foolishly, Neji had tried to return to the Hyuuga compound, one last time—if only to say goodbye to Hinata, and apologize in advance. What good had that done him? He'd only been caught by his uncle, and on the sight of the tall man's drawn (_secretive_)face, he'd erupted, screaming words like _'why didn't you ever tell me' _and _'is this what it means to be a branch member'_. Of course his uncle would try to act superior, feign innocence!

(_he might not know he might not know oh god what will you do if you threw away everything for a secret they didn't even know_)

Neji crushed the sensible voice inside him, weighing it down with the picture of silvery lines and filtering moonlight. That was why he did this—his secret, their secret. He would not be bound by the chains of this family any longer.

"Father, please stop," Hinata began, clutching at her father's sleeve with wide eyes. She looked so confused, so stricken; those same eyes he was cursed with looked back at him, pleading, _do not do this, Neji, what are you doing to yourself? _And Neji found himself hating her again—but hating her because she knew what those eyes meant; the entire main family knew what _Byakugan _was. They must, while keeping the branch members in the dark. She was not a branch member. She would never understand his pain.

"We cannot allow insanity to breed within our walls," his uncle murmured, gently removing Hinata's hand. Her gaze flickered wildly in between him and his uncle, before she finally shook her head and ran off toward the main house. His uncle's gaze was firm and unyielding. "I am sorry, Neji. You could have been something great."

"What are you talking about? _You _are the ones who kept secrets from me the whole time! It was because of you that I am what I am now!" Neji's voice rose.

"I do not know what you are talking about, but maybe it is best for you to leave." Hiashi's eyes never left his as other branch members swarmed around Neji, herding him like an animal toward the main gates of the Hyuuga compound. "We do not keep secrets from other members of our family. Obviously, you have been deluded; this is what happens when you visit that temple."

Neji froze, resisting the hands pushing him out. "How do you know about that?"

"It was only a matter of time. I am sorry," his uncle repeated, and this time the hands literally lifted Neji off the ground and deposited him in front of the Hyuuga compound. The gates clanged shut behind him, and he scrambled to his feet, a sudden sense of loneliness sweeping over him. The families—branch and main—thronged together to form a huge crowd, all staring at Neji like he was some animal. Some circus freak that didn't belong.

_They all had those eyes._

Hinata was the only one to step forward; even then, she was hesitant. "N-Neji…" She glanced behind her. When nobody stepped forward next to her, she wilted, melting back into the crowd. Her expression was one of absolute guilt.

Neji lifted his chin proudly. As if he cared if they thought he was insane. He knew something they all did not, and like servants, the branch members continued to serve under the main house, foolishly, so foolishly. The Hyuuga compound was _their _prison now. It would no longer contain him, because he was finally free.

(_and yet it seems so cold on the outside I already hate this_)

No. He couldn't stray from his path. Neji had chosen it, and he would stick to it.

Forever.

* * *

Sasuke would watch in amusement as Neji stumbled through the thorns that had suddenly erupted on his previously clear path. He would try valiantly to survive for the next two decades, only to crumble under the scornful looks and whispers that came with deserting the Hyuuga family. His many futile attempts re-activate the Byakugan would be pointless, for Neji had been the last of his line to ever receive the gift—a gift that could only be activated in Sasuke's shop.

In the end, he had been cast from a clan that would've welcomed him in favor of a dying bloodline; a secret that had never even been revealed to Hiashi himself. And it was that exact irony that made Sasuke's line of work so enjoyable.

He would watch as Neji broke down, first homeless, then lost and confused, and finally, suicidal. He would never revisit Sasuke's shop, but that was fine by him; the chaos Neji had caused would result in the destruction of the Hyuuga clan and name, as well as the corruption of Hinata and a certain other individual: her pursuer.

Neji's smile of relief as he died would be futile, Sasuke knew. They would be condemned to meet again in the future, condemned to live the same horrid life but through different struggles—all thanks to the wish that was made not days after Neji was banished from the Hyuuga clan.

_Death cannot part us, because I have already marked your soul. Not even the devil wants you now…_

Yes. Life as a wish-granter was not quite so bad.

Sasuke would bear to live with it for another seven centuries, but it isn't quite time to go into the future just yet.

There is another individual whose story has yet to be told…

* * *

**A/N: **So. Yes. Next time, we'll still be in the past, and this time, it's gonna be Hinata's stalker's wish :) You'll find out who he is next time too, and I hope I update sooner than this time...

Some explanations are in order. Sasuke's past was revealed a little, with Itachi and everything. The Hyuugas never knew about the Byakugan, basically, so Neji did seem quite insane to them. Sasuke can read minds; hopefully you've figured this out by now, haha. Anything in parentheses and italicized that lacked punctuation or proper capitalization was purely intentional, as this is a form of writing, and serves to confuse you all. Sorry, Oblivion's Demon, I kept the parentheses anyway :P

Also, according to Oblivion's Demon, my beta, I used too many contractions. So, I bring to you the edited version. Without contractions.

This will be continued! There's going to be three more wishes besides this, so not very long.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated and loved, because feedback is amazing. ^^


	3. Wish Three

**A/N: **Yay for me updating! Lol I am so so so sorry for not answering reviews and not updating for a flabbergasting (I like that word) three months! I can't believe it. I've never taken this long to update on anything. So I'm really sorry and I applaud if any of you still follow this story :P

Anyway, basically ... I don't know, if you don't remember what's gone in the past two chapters, Sakura's wish was chapter one, and Neji's wish chapter two. They aren't really that linear to each other (yet fufufu) but I have hopes. I'm detemined to finish this story! I'm halfway through actually. More info on that will be at the bottom. And... KibaHina in this chapter, just because SasuSaku made an appearance and NaruHina will too.

Also if the beginning of this chapter seems really weird it's because I had a hard time adjusting from writing in present tense to third pov. It was annoying.

**Beta: **Oblivion's Demon - I LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOU! :)

* * *

Wish Three

* * *

_~700 years ago~_

* * *

The flute sounded sadder now, more melancholy.

Its notes used to be high and floating, singing tales about happiness and dancing and melody. But something changed in the past two days, and its sound has become breathier, darker in its tone.

The flutist has changed as well, Kiba observed.

Her outward appearance remained much the same: luscious dark, shining hair; delicate white hands; beautiful—almost porcelain—skin; features that would put an angel to shame. Her eyes were a pale, pale shade of lavender, the most beautiful color Kiba has ever seen…except now, they were downcast and filled with quiet storms, speaking of regret and guilt and fear. Kiba had observed Hinata long enough now that he could tell instantly when she was happy, sad, angry, or bitter, though her recent expression was one he had never seen before.

An uneasy feeling churned in the pit of his stomach, almost similar to that of vomiting. Kiba frowned and crossed his arms over his knees, trying to soothe himself. He doesn't know what changed, but he can guess—he's lived on the streets long enough to have instant access to this kind of information.

A rumor began circulating yesterday through the small town, first slinking its way through the hired mercenaries before slowly moving up the ranks till it reached Kiba. It was one of those nearly unbelievable rumors, if only because the name it concerned was a name so pure it flew higher than Heaven (_yet you know what they say – 'the higher you go, the harder you fall'_). He didn't know whether to believe it or not, but upon seeing Hinata, he had no choice to but to accept that the rumor was true.

Hyuuga Neji had been cast out of the Hyuuga clan, and while he was a branch member, it was unheard of for the Hyuugas to throw someone out. Never had such an incident occurred in the half-century since they had risen to fame.

Nobody knew what could have possessed the man to act so foolishly, for the darker side of the rumor was this: He had been thrown out because he had visited the cursed temple, the black temple that catered to devils worse than Satan. Everyone had seen how Neji had doted on his younger cousin. It was a blind protection of something he had believed was worth protecting—but to Kiba, Neji had been little more than a cage, a gilded silver cage keeping his dove from flying free. And now with Neji gone… Well, Kiba couldn't say he particularly cared for the man. He certainly wouldn't go and search out the former Hyuuga—let him find his own way on the streets.

The only problem was Hinata herself had cared for Neji like the brother she never had; such was her sorrow that even two days later, she could not lift her spirits with anything. Not her favorite games, her most favored desserts, little gifts, her friends. Her father had tried many things to bring his daughter back to cheerfulness. All had failed.

The sound of the flute suddenly cut off and Kiba lifted his head from his perch behind the bushes, craning to see what was going on without revealing himself. The sight wrenched his heart.

Hinata had put her flute down in her lap and was weeping into her hands, shoulders trembling. It was the first time she had ever cried in his presence (though, truthfully, she didn't know he was there) and … to Kiba, she had never looked more beautiful. Her pain brought out the strength inside her.

At the same time, he could barely restrain his urge to run and comfort her, though he had to. It simply wouldn't do to scare her by jumping in front of her open bedroom window; him, a complete stranger. He hunched in tighter on himself, feeling the raw agony of knowing that Hinata would always be out of his reach, because she was the pure dove that flew free in the blue sky while he would be the mutt slinking in the shadows, waiting for her to drop down far enough for him to catch—but Hinata would never fall, for her wings were too strong to break.

If only he had the courage. If only he had a status, a prestigious family, a clan name to back him up. If only he had wealth and if only he wasn't affiliated with the darker sides of their shared town. If only he knew he had a chance of winning her heart, her love. Kiba wanted her love badly. So, so badly.

_Enough that you would do anything for it?_

The thought crept unbidden into his mind. It wasn't an unfamiliar thought; it had entered his head at least ten times today. What would he do, how far would he go, to secure Hinata's love? Was she that important to him? Enough that he would do anything? Go to the ends of the earth for her? Take a bullet for her?

Yes, he decided, yes he would. He had spent far too long watching her from a distance (six months, though Neji had only discovered him two months ago) to be let down now. The recent reminder that the devil still existed in his black temple (_his black Hell_) was enough to tempt Kiba to visit it, because the wish-granter was his only chance of ever securing Hinata's love. His fate rode on the devil's shoulders, something terribly, horribly ironic. There really was no better time than now, since Neji had been efficiently put out of the way.

Kiba chose to ignore the fact that Neji's stripped title was precisely because he visited the sleek marble shrine.

_The same fate will not happen to me. I refuse to let it! No, it is _impossible _for it to happen to me. I have no famous name, no home. I only have myself and my love…and soon I will have hers as well._

The idea, once planted, grew quickly. His resolve was strengthened after he took another look at Hinata. She was no longer crying, but only staring despairingly into the lush green garden Kiba was hiding in. Her once radiant eyes were empty, save for those feelings of self-hatred churning within them. She probably blamed herself for not doing more to save Neji; maybe, once Kiba was introduced into her life, she would be happier. The thought energized him, and he crept from the gardens without a backwards look at the love of his life.

* * *

Kiba, during his times on the streets, had heard many things about the temple.

Some said an immortal human lived inside it. Some said it was a demon, handsomely dark like the night but with an infinitely blacker soul. Some said it _had _no soul; it was heartless as well. Some said the devil-demon was not real, that it could not be real. Some said the temple would disappear one day. And then some said that the demon inside granted wishes—wishes for a price, but wishes nonetheless. All you had to, they said, was be more cunning than him and you could walk away a better man.

(_but the problem was nobody had ever outsmarted the head wolf_)

Kiba had gained a reputation on the streets for being one of the shrewdest, one of the most astute. He observed many things from the shadows and perceived their character from just one interaction. He rarely acted without carefully thinking the idea through; even his latest idea was carefully plotted out. Demons were known for their slyness and their smooth lies that rolled off their tongues as easily as truths did for humans. Kiba could not fall to this demon, because too much was at stake.

He would have to negotiate clearly with the demon, refusing to fall prey to anything it offered.

Unfortunately, that way of thinking was rather difficult, as Kiba would soon discover.

"Welcome to the Demon Shop." The voice that slid from the depths of the temple was as smooth and rich as butter. Kiba instinctively stepped inside the icy building, hearing the doors slam shut behind him; his body was kept tightly coiled like a wire, wariness swirling inside him.

The shrine itself wasn't too hard to find. It was just to the south of the village, over a couple hills and on the very top of a small rocky mountain. The weather was remarkably beautiful on the mountain, light and bright and sunny, nothing like what one would normally expect in a demon's home. The black shrine, however, significantly darkened the otherwise perfect landscape; it was like a scar, a dark blemish, unsightly and better hidden than in plain view.

Inside the temple, though, no light pierced the icy façade, both literally and figuratively. Over the course of a decade and more, Kiba had experienced many hair-raising incidents, ranging from the time when he almost got stabbed in the back by a fellow gang member to robberies gone horribly awry. Those experiences had honed his exceptional instincts, allowing him instantaneous access to anything his most visceral impulses declared unsafe. And right now, this temple was screaming murder, causing little prickles to crawl unnervingly across his skin. How could anyone stand to be here for more than a minute or two? How could anyone stand to _live _here?

"I beg your pardon. I can stand to live here quite well." The voice was colder now, but still held the same amused undertone.

Kiba stiffened. Now here came the part where normal people would quiver in fear and refuse to face the fact that the demon was quite obviously a mind reader, if he could answer Kiba's thought like that. But Kiba wasn't like normal people. If a fact presented itself, supernatural or not, he would accept it, because living on the streets allowed no room for contemplation. Not if you wanted to escape with your life, that was. The unique perspective he had on life granted him the ability to cope remarkably well with whatever strange surprises fate had in store for him.

"You are an interesting one, truly. To figure me out so quickly; bravo, Inuzuka Kiba." The voice seemed to be drawing steadily closer, and while the sensation prickling his skin only grew stronger, the fear subsided enough for Kiba to proudly lift his chin in defiance.

"Nobody can say I do not know what I am facing," he stated, eyes searching the darkness for any sort of movement. A low chuckle rose from directly in front of him. He jolted back as something brushed his coat, causing a growl to rise in his throat. "Keep your filthy hands off me."

"That is very true, in actuality. My hands are not clean at all; at least in the way you seem to be alluding to. These pale hands have been stained with countless deaths, during and before my time as shop keeper. We share something, Kiba," the voice whispered, hissing his name like a snake. "Both you and I have had our fair share of time fooling around with the eccentricities of gang life, street life. We both know what danger is, but woe beholds the one who thinks he can outsmart the devil…"

A light flickered into existence not inches from Kiba's shocked face, illuminating unnatural pale skin and unreadable black eyes. It was the demon. Swallowing, Kiba straightened his back and frowned boldly, arrogantly. "Then I shall be the first. Watch me. My task cannot allow me to fail."

"Let me guess. Because you seek love, the most volatile of all emotions, you believe fate will allow you to have it?" The demon moved back, taking his candle and rhetorical question with him. Curiously, the flame exuded no heat, only an icy coldness directly contradicting its strangely red flame.

Kiba followed the demon to the center of the temple. His shoes clicked on the floor he couldn't see, allowing himself to trust—momentarily—the demon who would forever alter his life.

The demon folded himself onto the couch in the middle of the room as he placed the candle on the floor between them. He motioned at Kiba and a chair materialized beside him; Kiba stubbornly pushed the chair back, refusing to sit. The demon shrugged.

"Very well then. I believe this will all go easier once you know my name, as names are the core of all importance. I am Sasuke, current wish-granter. Call me what you may, demon, devil, monster. It matters little to me."

"Sasuke will be fine," Kiba said in return icily.

"You really are a strange one," muttered Sasuke, crossing his arms and studying Kiba with an intent that made him fidget. "I suppose you are another lovesick fool, am I correct?"

"Lovesick fool I may be, but I will not bend to your will."

"And what if I said it was not my will you would be bending to, but your destiny's?"

"Then I would call you a liar, not that you already are not one."

"You have guts, Kiba. I suppose that is why you fancy yourself a strong enough man to win the Lady Hinata's love—though if you were truly strong enough, you would not have come seeking my aid, for only those with hidden desires come to me and beg for a wish." At this, a devious expression crossed Sasuke's face, and a sudden foreboding shook Kiba's core. Whatever was coming next…would not be pleasant. "So tell me, what is _your _hidden desire?"

"I have none," Kiba declared archly, ignoring the blatant disbelief that crossed Sasuke's face. "You know enough about my life to know that I am pursuing Hyuuga Hinata, so why do you not know that all I want is to love her with all my heart, and for her to love me back?"

"For her to love you back…" Sasuke repeated slowly. His eyelids lowered as he seemed to be immersed in thought, though little did Kiba know that Sasuke was really searching his mind for answers, flipping every thought, hunting for that one elusive wish that all humans had, no matter how hidden it was. The wish that all humans had—except, apparently, this one. This human had already _recognized _his wish. Disgruntled, Sasuke leaned back, a little unsure of what to do with such a customer. Should he grant his wish regardless? That choice would be so boring, though. So uninteresting; if he was stuck in an eternity of granting wishes, he might as well get some satisfaction out of it, and so far Kiba's wish was anything but satisfactory. Unless…

A smirk flashed across Sasuke's face, startling Kiba. "W-what?" he asked, somewhat nervously.

"You certainly have no hidden desire, but have you thought about the consequences of such a wish? I can see the thoughts you are hiding from me, you know. You are leaving out something crucial in your wish."

"I am leaving out nothing," said Kiba, though it was said noticeably slower. Hesitation. Sasuke felt a subtle feeling of cruel contentment settling around him; there it was, the tiny chink in the armor Kiba had thought he had built oh so strong. One little doubt, one little question, and eventually everything would tumble. It was how the world was built—and how the world would fall.

It was how humanity would fall.

"This is how you humans always are. You think you have thought of everything, so carefully planned out to the last detail. Every argument, every conversation. Yet you beings are so cold at the same time. Selfish, callous, uncaring about others." Kiba's mouth opened to angrily retort, but Sasuke cut him off with a wave of his hand. "I know what you are thinking, remember? You think _I _am the cold one, do you not? But how can that be true when _you _are the one that is pushing aside Hinata's feelings in favor of your own? Because that is exactly what you are doing."

Kiba stood in muted, stone-struck silence for a long time. At first, it refused to sink in, fluttering lightly on the edges of his consciousness. _That is what you are doing… Selfish, callous, uncaring… Do I really not have Hinata's best interests in mind? What am I asking her for? _The more he thought about it, the worse he felt.

"Have you thought about it thoroughly? The consequences?" Sasuke's low voice wove around them, rising and falling almost melodiously. "You say you love Hinata…but what if Hinata is not willing to fall for you? Perhaps she loves someone else. Is your own love, your own selfishness, so immense that you are willing to jeopardize her own emotions just so you can satisfy yours?"

Kiba swallowed, clenching his fists slowly. His chest felt tight, his heart beating too rapidly. Hinata…not loving him? No. _No. _That couldn't be right. She would have to love him—because he loved her. That was how it worked; his love for her was so great that there was no way she could _ignore _him. When would she meet someone else that loved her, worshipped her as much as he did? She loved him because he loved her. One love reciprocated for another, wasn't that right?

_I can't live without her. I need her._

"I—I will not be jeopardizing her emotions," Kiba said, stiffening. His eyes were blazing and angry, in contrast to Sasuke's cooler indifference. "I want to make my wish, and you cannot stop me!"

"I do not want to stop you," he replied unperturbedly, "for this is how I meet my own satisfaction. What would I gain from you being angry with me? If you wish to make your desire complete, by all means, go ahead. I will not stop you." Sasuke shrugged. "If you are ready to advance to the final stages, please heed my warnings; if you truly believe you can outsmart me, you would do well to listen to these words. One, you cannot ever change time. Once your wish is cast, it is forever set in stone. Two, this is a one-chance deal, so pick your words carefully, or the outcomes may be far from what you intended. Last of all, a wish with me equates your soul, your life, or eternal misery. Compensation comes in many forms and varieties." His eyes glowed red. "You said you would be the first to oppose me and make a successful wish. Reveal it now, Inuzuka Kiba! What strength have you hidden? Is your love so different?"

Kiba understood that this was the final turning point, the last nail in his coffin. Was Hinata worth it all? It wasn't like he would fail, true, but… Doubts were something hard to erase, especially from his own mind. Once planted, they stayed like the most stubborn weeds. Was she worth his life, should everything go awry?

Then an image of her, pale but beautiful, flashed in his mind; her eyes, too wise for someone so young. Her lips. Her skin. Her hair. The way her voice sounded when she was happy; the gentle lilt it had when she was sad. Her mild temper, inherited from her mother. The wonderful flute she used to express her emotions when her manners would not allow it to be spoken, the way she would push her fingers together when she was nervous, the blush she had on her cheeks when she was excited. Everything Kiba loved about Hinata, every last bit, made her worth all the sacrifices in the world. He _loved _her.

"My love is worth everything." He drew himself up tall, glaring at the demon unabashedly. "And you will not intimidate me."

"Very well then." Sasuke bent down and picked up the icy candle, holding it close to his cheek; the flame bounced off his skin almost entrancingly, giving the whiteness an illusory color that did not exist in reality. His eyes were the color of the fire, red and accusatory, but strangely smug. "What shall your wish be?"

A minute later, the candle was blown out with a quiet whisper, and Kiba found himself outside the Hyuuga complex.

_My new life begins now…_

Far away, in a temple with an achingly blue sky above it, a demon smirked.

* * *

A tear rolled down Hinata's cheek, which was abnormally pale. A cough wracked her chest as she stared up at her husband, eyes pained, but not because of her sickness. She knew she was dying, as it was only inevitable with the strange disease she had contracted. She wasn't in pain because of that—she was sad because she had lived her life with someone she did not truly love.

If only. If only. The words repeated themselves in her mind over and over. _If only I had had the courage to approach him first; if only I wasn't so weak, I wouldn't be where I am now; if only I could love Kiba like I want to, like my body tells me to. If only!_

But she couldn't.

Ever since Kiba had appeared in front of her home thirty years ago, she had been drawn to the strange, almost wild man she had never before seen in her life. It was an odd attraction, like she was forced to stay close to him no matter where he went. Like she was his puppet, and he held the strings. But her heart—her heart had protested violently against it, locked up in its corner, unable to do anything as her body held and kissed the man who was destined to become her husband. Even her father had approved of Inuzuka Kiba, though why, she would never know.

They had produced two children together, a boy of twenty and a girl of twenty-five. They were both gone, having moved after they each married; they most likely had received news by now that their mother was dying, though Hinata knew that by the time they arrived, she would be gone.

She didn't have much longer in this world.

Her eyes wandered slowly over to the prone form of her husband; during the past few days, when she had suddenly taken a turn for the worse, he hadn't left her bedside for more than three minutes. Her features tried to pull up in a gentle smile, but she was too weak to do so. It wasn't Kiba's fault. He was a good man, she knew that much; Hinata had always been pure, so pure, and she knew when a man was good or bad, innocent or evil. Kiba had only ever had good intentions in his heart. He had always loved her unconditionally. It was just too unfortunate she couldn't love him in return. _Why _couldn't she love him? Why?!

_Because you love _him. _The golden one, _a little voice in her mind whispered. And because Hinata knew that her end was coming near, she allowed herself to wistfully imagine him again, one last time, one last act of unfaithfulness.

His blue eyes, bluer than the sky, reflecting his undying spirit. His golden hair. His beautiful, beautiful smile. Uzumaki Naruto, the man she had always loved, and because of him…she couldn't love Kiba. Her chest tightened and her eyes stung as more tears gathered in them. He was one of her greatest regrets, just as Kiba was; just as Neji was; just as she was to herself. If she had done more to stop her father from sending Neji away, if she had more courage.

_If only._

Hinata took in a trembling, choked sob, causing Kiba to jerk his head up, eyes worried as her reached for her hand. She tried again to smile; again she failed.

He looked so dead already, she observed. Kiba was going to be broken with her death.

A long time ago, Hinata had once confessed in a fit of self-pity that she didn't really love Kiba; she just _felt _like she did. The horrified look on his face had never left her mind, and from then on she had devoted herself to forgetting Naruto and being a better wife for Kiba.

Little did she know that Kiba had only felt horror for himself, because in the end…despite his wish… Sasuke had been right.

He felt his own tears begin to rise in his throat as he grasped Hinata's hand. She looked so frail now, hair limp against the pillow. So little time left in the end, so little time… Disgust for himself rolled to the forefront of his mind. Had he ever had Hinata's best interests in mind? Had it always just been about _himself? _

_Humans…selfish, callous…_

Sasuke's voice whispered in his mind. It was always there, always reminding him of his greatest mistake. He gripped Hinata's hand, eyes hardening, resolve forming. He had to tell her about Sasuke and his wish before she was gone; she only deserved it.

And so he did. Everything. That first visit thirty years ago, stalking her before that, watching her. Her (_beautiful, beautiful_) eyes widened, but she was too weak to talk. Kiba lowered his head in shame, tears falling openly from his eyes now. Everything had been a mistake, from that first glimpse of Hinata to his wish in the temple. And he had thought it was such a good wish too! So carefully plotted out…only to lose any hope of love he had ever sought to gain from Hinata in the first place.

'_I wish to find love with her forever, for us to be happy forever!_'

Well happy they had been for a short time. On the surface, they had always seemed happy. Nobody in the Hyuuga family suspected anything, and they had had some kind of love. Artificial love.

Pride. That was another downfall of the human race.

A day later, Kiba stepped stone-faced from the hospital and set off for the temple without a word to any of his in-laws, as Hyuuga Hinata was pronounced dead.

The image of his one and only love's soft eyes burned into his mind, Kiba set off toward the temple for one last visit, determination he had felt thirty years ago rekindling inside him. Hinata's last words rang quietly in his head.

_It's okay._

_I forgive you._

* * *

"She was too kind," Sasuke said softly as he observed the bowed figure of the man before him. "Too willing to sacrifice anything for someone else's love."

"I know. _I know,_" Kiba whispered brokenly, head cradled in his hands. "I know."

"You must also know she loved someone else then, do you not?"

"…I do."

"Uzumaki Naruto, happily married to Haruno Sakura. A wonderful life, as Hinata's love would have only forced them apart and caused unhappiness for everyone. She was never as selfish as you were."

"I know!" Kiba shouted, eyes red and bloodshot as he glared at the demon. "You do not have to tell me over and over. I know my mistakes."

"No, you do not." Sasuke stood, staring down at the suddenly stricken man before him. "You do not know your greatest mistake, the price you have paid for that one, '_so carefully_' made wish. Wishes like these are the kind I enjoy the most. Do you know why?"

Something similar to foreboding raced through Kiba, and he shivered at the sly look in Sasuke's red eyes. "W-what is it?" _Please, don't let me have brought this on someone else too!_

"Oh, it is not just _someone _else. It is…how many…" Sasuke smirked, the look in his eyes absolutely chilling. "Let us see. One. Two. Three. Four. _Five_, including you. You have brought five separate people's fates entwining into one. Five different lives are now forever ruined because of your wish. Do you know what your wish's ultimate price was?"

Kiba began to slowly shake his head, squeezing his eyes shut and rocking back and forth on the floor. _No…no…nononono…_

"_Yes. _Your ultimate price is to relive the course of your cursed love every lifetime. _Forever!_"

'…_for us to be happy forever!_'

_Forever._

_For._

_Ever._

Sasuke wasn't done. "And not only that, everyone will be affected. Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Hyuuga Neji, Hinata, you. Stuck forever, chasing after each other forever. Of course relationships will not always be the same every time, but it will happen again. And again. And again."

"…It will never stop?" Kiba whispered, eyes empty as he imagined lives stretching on and on, all ending with Hinata loving someone else. For eternity.

"Everything comes to an end eventually. Even time," Sasuke murmured, and then the look in his eyes softened unexpectedly. "But because you have such hard lives ahead of you, I can grant you one last mercy, if you will."

Kiba bowed his head, silent.

"Death."

His voice was almost soundless as he begged, voice shaking, "Please. Anything to end this torture for now. _Kill me._"

"As you wish, Inuzuka Kiba."

* * *

And so time wore on, relentlessly in its path. Sasuke aided Fate in taking down more unfortunate souls that believed they could outsmart the devil, and each century, he eagerly awaited the day one of 'The Five' would come in, sparking the beginning of another fascinating cycle; for each time they reincarnated, only Kiba would remember his past lives, and yet—he would always be the one that was powerless in making another terrifyingly strong wish.

It changed every cycle. Sometimes Hinata was married to Naruto, sometimes she watched him from the shadows. Once she even murdered him. Neji played various roles in reuniting or splitting apart relationships; Sakura did the same. But Kiba by far had to suffer the worst role of them all.

From the first wish onwards, Kiba had never once gotten back into Hinata's good graces. She either didn't know he existed, or she openly spurned him. As time wore on, he grew more and more empty, until each life he was born into, he merely existed, never more, never less.

Existing. Waiting for that one moment—the moment when everything would be released.

Everything would change.

And Sasuke watched.

* * *

Little did Sasuke know that the wish Inuzuka Kiba made not only affected those five humans…

It would also irreversibly alter the course of his own life forever.

* * *

Seven centuries later, a hesitant young woman stepped into his shop, face brave. Sasuke smirked; he had already received three of the five wishers. She would be the fourth.

"Welcome to the Demon Shop, Hyuuga Hinata. How may I help you?"

* * *

Subtly, subtly... Something shifted.

* * *

**A/N: **Yay for numerous page breaks :D

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Or this story. Next time will be Hinata's turn! (as shown by the end of this chapter no der) Also I kind of failed at revealing Sasuke's past in this chapter so I decided an extra was in order. Basically this is how the rest of TDS will turn out: next chap, Hinata, then Naruto, which will be the last 'official' chapter. After that will be an extra, which is all about Sasuke, our favorite resident demon, whoop whoop. And again man I'm so sorry I didn't update for forever. The Lying Game is being updated soon too, promise.

So if anyone is still reading this, I would greatly appreciate reviews :) And they will most definitely motivate me to finish writing faster, despite the fact that school is kicking my butt right now. Yay!


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